


Day 1- #RedInstead

by Broken_Clover



Series: Autistic Creative Challenge 2019 [1]
Category: Guilty Gear
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Autism Spectrum, Autistic Creative Challenge, Fluff and just a little angst, Friendship, Gen, internalized ableism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-02
Updated: 2019-04-02
Packaged: 2019-12-30 18:37:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,934
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18320972
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Broken_Clover/pseuds/Broken_Clover
Summary: Sin learns something new about his roommate.





	Day 1- #RedInstead

Sin Kiske wasn’t the most observant person, but even he could notice the obvious.

As if to make it clear that no, he wasn’t imagining things, he noticed the other students in the lecture hall going quiet. Most of them turned their heads towards the front of the room.

“Good morning, students!” Dr. Faust announced in his typical cheery tone. He deposited his briefcase on the desk just like he did every morning, falling into his usual routine without a hint of awareness that anything was out of the ordinary.

“Uhh...Doc?” Someone raised their hand. “Did you...forget to separate your laundry?”

As opposed to his usual crisp white jacket, Faust had donned something similar, but instead bright maroon. Maybe for someone else, it wouldn’t have been as puzzling, but Faust wore the same jacket every day, regardless of circumstance or weather.

(Maybe wearing the same thing every day was weird anyway, but hey, it was Faust)

Despite the interruption, the man looked absolutely delighted. “I’m very glad you’ve noticed! I’m wearing red in support of myself and my peers for autism acceptance!”

‘Autism?’ Sin vaguely recalled the term from a textbook, but he didn’t remember anything about it. He raised his own hand, and was swiftly called on. “Yes, Mr. Kiske?”

“What’s that mean?”

Around him, a few more hands shot up.

“Isn’t it supposed to be ‘awareness?’”

“I though people used blue for that…?”

“Why do you-”

“Alright, alright, everyone settle down.” Faust went quiet for a minute, flipping through his papers. “Well, I suppose we’ve gotten a bit ahead on our anatomy lectures. I’d be happy to do a short lecture on the subject if you’d like?”

It seemed that the majority of the class were either intrigued on the current subject, or eager enough to skip more anatomy lessons. The professor was all-too-happy to oblige, tucking away his notes.

Sin watched with rapt interest. He was always eager to learn new words, regardless of circumstance. 

Apparently, it was a disorder that had a lot to do with how people communicate and express themselves. Faust was quick to remark that it was actually a pretty common thing, and that most of them had probably met a few people who had it at some point. Faust himself had it, and when he asked if anyone else did, a few classmates raised their hands.

Sin had definitely met a few people who weren’t the most socially skilled. But as the professor carried on, he realized that it was a bit more nuanced than that. The more the lecture went on, the more of an odd little thought was bouncing around in his head.

Struggling with communication. Sensitivity to some stimuli. Preferring schedules and routine. Hyper-focus on certain interests. There were a lot of different symptoms, and not everyone with autism presented the same ones, but the ones that caught his attention felt way too familiar for him to shake the idea.

Once Faust was able to explain the condition, he moved onto the other questions. The askers hadn’t been entirely incorrect, as autism awareness was identified with the color blue, along with a puzzle piece motif. But the people who started that movement were generally considered a hate group by the autistic community, putting emphasis on autism as a burden and something needing to be cured instead of putting attention on the people themselves. So, by wearing the red instead of blue, it was a sort of retaliation by the community and a call for acceptance, instead of just recognition.

Before they knew it, the lecture block was over. Faust gave them a cheery wave and pulled out a box of red pins from his bag, if anyone wanted to take some.

Sin was quick to swipe a few from the container as he hurried out of the hall. He’d still been mulling on the same thought he had been for almost the entire lecture. He didn’t usually head right back to the dorms after class, but he was too curious to waste time.

When he unlocked the door to his room, he found his roommate in his regular spot, tap-tapping away at his laptop.

“Hullo, Sin.” Bedman greeted him, not looking up from whatever he was working on. “You don’t usually get back this early. Something happen?”

“Uhh, sorta?” Dropping his shoes at the door, Sin flopped over on his bed. “Faust gave us a weird lecture today.”

“Oh?” Though Bedman kept his attention on the monitor, Sin knew the other boy well enough that he could tell he was still paying attention as he worked.

“He showed up in a red coat today. Said it was for ‘autism acceptance.’ I didn’t really know what that was, but he explained it to us.”

The sounds of typing slowed. For a half-second, Sin saw a pair of eyes glance up at him.

“I thought that a lot of the stuff he was talking about reminded me of you. So I was wondering, do you have that?”

The typing stopped. The room was quiet for a good minute. Sin was going to ask if he had been heard, but he noticed that his roommate had gone a little pale behind the screen’s glow.

“I’m sorry, should I not have asked? I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable-”

“Sin, do you think I’m stupid?”

“Wha- no, why would I?” Sin tilted his head. “You’re like the smartest guy I know!”

“I mean…” Bedman wrung his hands together. “With people. O-or- I can’t think of how to say this, how do I…?”

Sin wasn’t sure, but he took a wild guess. “I don’t think you’re dumb or weird or anything if you do. It’s just different! Nothing wrong with that.”

It seemed he’d managed to hit the nail on the head. Bedman gave him a funny look, before chuckling. “Of all people to be worried about...of course you wouldn’t care either way.”

He wasn’t entirely sure how to reply, but he was happy that he’d managed to quell the boy’s fears. “Oh!” He fished one of the pins he’d taken out of his pocket. “Faust was handing these out at the end, want one?”

“Nothing wrong with being supportive, I suppose.” The key-tapping resumed, though only for a few moments. “Speaking of which, it seems Dr. Faust is holding a little picnic over in the lecture hall courtyard. Fundraiser for the Autism Self-Advocacy Network. You get a discount if you show up wearing red.”

Sin was already halfway across the room, shedding his shirt and digging around in his dresser. “I know I had something red in here somewhere…”

Bedman shook his head in dismay, but smiled nonetheless. “I appreciate your enthusiasm.”

“Well, duh!” The taller boy wiggled into a new shirt, just as quickly pinning the little button onto it. “Gotta support folks! You up for eating lunch outside today?”

After a moment of though, the laptop was placed next to him, and Bedman hopped off. “A bit of sunlight never hurt anyone.”

“That’s the spirit!”

++++++

Neither of them had been expecting the courtyard to be as bustling as it was when they arrived. Sin almost immediately noticed the two Valentines over by one of the picnic tables.

“Ram! El! Hey!” He waved, beaming brightly as he approached. “Good to see you guys!”

Elphelt looked just as chipper. “Hiya, Sin! Glad to see you could make it!” She’d put on a pretty red skirt, paired with another of Faust’s pins.

“Of course we would!”

Bedman offered a polite little nod. “Hello, Elphelt. Ramlethal. Your participation is appreciated.”

“No worries! However I can support my sister!”

Ramlethal blushed a little, smiling. “Elphelt’s been very supportive since I got diagnosed. Really helped me try and find ways to adapt.”

“Aww, of course, sillyhead! That’s what sisters are for!”

“Good afternoon, students!” Faust approached the group, holding a camera. “So nice to see more guests! I do hope you’ll stay and eat, the cooking students are working very hard today.”

“Man, it’s like half the campus showed up! This is awesome!” While trying to find the end of the food line, Sin caught sight of a few familiar faces scattered about. He almost bumped into a shock of white hair at the end.

“Wh- oh, hey, Sin!” He recognized Chipp from Economics, though the red vest was new. Before Sin could respond, the man leaned back to nudge someone in front of him. “Hey, An, this is the one I was telling you about!”

An unfamiliar fellow with a scarf wrapped tightly around his mouth turns and offered a cordial wave. “Ah. I know this one. Bedman talks about him.”

The person in question had started blushing by the time Sin turned back around to look at him, but fought it down. “Answer. I had my suspicions.”

“As did I. Kind of hard to not make assumptions after you gave the class an impromptu lecture on the meaning of ‘unbreakable.’”

“You’re the one who had a ten-minute tangent on the legality of hedgehogs.”

“Hey, hey, no need to fight!” Sin stuck his hands between the two. “We’re all here to have fun, right?”

“...Fair.” Bedman relented. “But just to be clear, Answer, your points were very compelling.”

Ram was too distracted by the odor wafting overhead to care about the bickering. Maybe it was hard to notice for others, but she was particularly sensitive to scents. “I smell burgers.”

And correct she was. Twenty minutes and fifteen dollars later, the little group found a place on the grass, just close enough to hear Jam chatting in response to Haehyun’s rapid sign language.

“Ahh, I really love the burgers they make here!” Sin chowed down happily, content with his food.

Nodding in approval, Ram seemed to down half of hers in one bite. Elphelt got started just as quickly, but Sin noticed that Bedman was merely watching the proceedings.

“Something wrong?” He asked. “Too loud?”

“I guess I’m just a little surprised, is all.”

“Surprised?...You lost me.”

“I know it’s a bit stupid.” He kept his eyes off Sin, meticulously picking at his burger. “I know you of all people probably wouldn’t judge me for being autistic. It’s simply...a concern I have with everyone. There’s always just that little bit of uncertainty. Everyone reacts to it differently.”

“Aww. We’re friends, man!” The blonde replied. “I have been living with you for months. It’s not like knowing you’re autistic changes anything about you. You’re the same person I just know a little bit more about the way you work now, is all.”

“Hmm…” Bedman offered a smile. “You’re more philosophical than I give you credit for, Sin.”

“Aww, thanks!”

“Do you know what that means?”

“Not a clue!...it’s a compliment, right?”

“...Yeah, it’s a compliment.”

“Oh good, you’re still here!” Faust was still carrying the same camera as he approached the group again. “Mind if I take a photo of you for the school’s media page?”

“Sounds fun!” Elphelt replied. “Sound okay, Ram?”

“Sure.” Somehow, she had already finished her food.

“Alright, so just scoot in a little more…” The camera was lifted up and positioned. “Smile!”

The next morning, Bedman found the group photo posted right on the front of the site. Elphelt had fallen over about a half-second after the photo was taken, and Sin was smiling so hard he almost looked cross-eyed. But they all looked happy.

_’Spending Time at the Campus Fundraiser!’_ The caption announced cheerily.

For as confusing as friends could be, Bedman was very happy that he had them.


End file.
